Brief Encounter
by SPG inc
Summary: Daffy is pushing Tina away with his insecurity. Tina seeks Bugs' help in trying to lure Daffy back. Next thing Bugs and Tina are dating. But it's just to make Daffy jealous. There's nothing going on between them… right?
1. Chapter 1

Bugs had gotten so used to Daffy's shenanigans over the years that he only glanced up from his news app vaguely when the duck peeked out the front window at the sound of a car then leapt back as though burned. Nor did he reply to Daffy's exclamation of "If anyone asks, I've moved to… Finland. No, Iraq! No, I'm touring the middle east. No, I'm touring the… sea! Yeah, tell them I'm touring the sea! All of it!"

As the black feathered duck raced out the back door, and the sound of someone scrambling over the fence was accompanied by the sound of Taz being disturbed and snapping at the climber's heels, the only response from the slender grey and white rabbit was a raised eyebrow.

Bugs was already moving towards the door as the bell rang and the sound of a beating fist filled the house. The only emotion he felt was resignation as he prepared to offer a heartfelt apology to whichever neighbour had come to complain about the fallout from whichever of Daffy's latest featherbrained schemes had backfired. He was, however, surprised when the moment he turned the latch the door was thrown open and Tina Russo stormed in.

"Where is he?" the girl's Brooklyn drawl that Bugs shared was almost lost beneath the sharp tone as she glared around the living room.

"Err, he just went out back," Bugs offered as he closed the door. "I shouldn't bother going after him," he added as Tina made for the yard. "Not unless you wanna go fence hopping all day."

Tina stopped and turned to look at Bugs for the first time. Even behind the curtain of stylishly unruly brunette hair and the sharply angled yellow bill, he could see the anger in the girl, but also the hurt and regret. He instantly knew this wasn't one of her and Daffy's usual tiffs.

Tina looked around distractedly as she put a hand to her head in frustration. Bugs stood awkwardly, not sure of what to do. It wasn't the first time the two ducks had hit a rough patch, but Tina always seemed to take control of the situation. This time she looked close to the end of her tether, and if she was going to break down Bugs wasn't sure he was comfortable being the only one around to console her. To his relief she composed herself a moment later, and asked him, half seriously "Don't 'spose you'd let me burn his stuff in the yard?"

"I might if anything he has actually belonged to him instead of me," Bugs joked. "Coffee?"

They retired to the kitchen, where Tina slumped in a stool while Bugs went to the percolator. He eyed the white feathered duck as he poured their drinks. She was dressed in skinny jeans and a purple short sleeved shirt, the first time he'd ever seen her in anything apart from a dress when dating Daffy or her Copy Place uniform. He had to admit he didn't actually know her that well, but he knew that anything that could make hothead Tina stare into the coffee he placed before her like she'd just received a bereavement had to be very bad.

"You wanna talk about it?" Bugs offered as he sat across from her. Tina lifted her forlorn gaze slowly.

"Daffy's putting up his walls. Shutting me out."

"Why's that?"

"Because he's an insecure, spineless little ball of self-denial," Tina sat up with a little of her old anger back, but still sad. "He's giving me some crap 'bout how he's not gonna let a girl cramp his lifestyle. Says he wants to be free to play the field."

"Ouch," Bugs said as sympathetically as he could. "But you know, maybe he doesn't mean it. Sounds like the sort of thing a guy with commitment problems would say to take the easy way out."

"I know that!" Tina snapped, making Bugs recoil. "This is what it's been like with him since we met. We get close, and he freaks out and jumps back. He's so tightly wound I can't even speak to him when he's like this."

Tina's ire cooled, though Bugs kept his trap shut for fear of setting her off again. The duck stared at her coffee for a minute, before she stood and squared her shoulders determinedly.

"But he's gone too far this time. If he thinks he can just end things like this he's got another thing coming."

She turned away while taking out her keys and asked "Any idea where he might've gone to hide, Bugs?"

"A lot of ideas… but," Bugs ventured warily "I don't think chasing him is the answer Tina. In my experience when Daffy wants to avoid someone, he'll avoid them no matter what. Seriously, I've had lawyers, tax collectors, hotel managers, overprotective boyfriends and everything in between staking this place out and searching the town for him, and he stays hidden. The harder you chase him, the harder he'll run."

Tina paused, key in hand, and a tense silence filled the room. She turned and gave Bugs a scowl that made him wonder if he should risk trying to take his words back. At length, Tina sat back down and picked up her coffee.

"Guess you're right," she said after the caffeine hit soothed her somewhat. "Sorry to come in and just drop this on you."

"Dah, no sweat," Bugs relaxed with Tina's mood. "I've lived with Daffy a long time. I know how hard it is dealing with his hang ups."

Tina nodded in sympathy and took another slurp.

"So, how about some good news to make me feel worse," the duck smiled lightly. "How's things with you and Lola? A helluva lot better than they are with me and Daffy I'll bet."

Bugs smiled sadly.

"Sorry, Tina. No good news to rub in your face."

"What's wrong?"

"Lola is," he sighed. "She decided it's time we move in with each other."

"You've only been together a couple of months, haven't you?"

"If you think you can get her to listen to you, please tell her that," Bugs said sarcastically. "I told her we should take things slowly, but she doesn't hear me. So last Saturday I tried telling her straight that we're not close enough to live together. She said I've been stringing her on and she never wants to see me again, then she called up an hour later and said we should go to couples therapy."

"Ouch!" Tina laughed "Well this is swell- I gotta boyfriend who won't commit, and you gotta girlfriend who commits too much. Maybe if we get them in a room together they'll even each other out."

"Try it, but don't hold your breath or nothing," Bugs quipped and drank his coffee. The pair lapsed into a comfortable silence. It felt good to vent their frustrations over their respective partners to someone who could relate.

"I guess I could try talking Daffy round for you," Bugs said.

"Do you think he'll listen?"

"Probably not. Daffy's the most stubborn person I know, including Yosemite Sam."

"I know," Tina sighed. "If there's something Daffy don't wanna do, he ain't gonna do it, an' he's been avoiding me for days. Maybe he just seriously doesn't to be with me."

"Come on, ya being too hard on yourself," Bugs said gently. "Daffy's crazy about you. He's also just plain crazy, but he ain't never been so close to someone for so long who he wasn't mooching off."

Tina smiled gently.

"Thanks Bugs." she said. "Guess you'd know- he's been with you for years. So, what's your secret- how d'you keep hold of him?"

"Daffy only stays cus' I've got money and a house," Bugs looked up thoughtfully. "You could try winning the lottery," he gave Tina a smirk which she responded to with a deadpan glare.

"Not helping," the girl stood and paced to the living area adjoining the kitchen "but you gotta point. I can't just chase Daffy. I've gotta do something to make him come to me."

"You could hold his parade float ransom, just please don't bring it back," Bugs joked, but Tina wasn't listening. She was lost in thought.

"If Daffy thinks he's missing out on something, he won't stop till he gets it," Tina mused as she paced. "So, I don't need any bait- I've just got to show him he's gonna lose me if he don't stop jerking me around."

The duck scowled in frustration.

"Just gotta find a way to ram it home. Need something to light a fire under his butt. I gotta make him-"

Tina paused, an intensely questioning look on her face. She looked back into the kitchen, where Bugs was scrolling through his iPhone again.

A triumphant smile curled her beak.

"-jealous."

Bugs scanned the news absently as Tina plotted, until he noticed the absence of her voice. He looked up and jumped to find Tina only a foot away, braced with her arms to lean over kitchen table, a heavy-lidded stare and a cunning smile on her face.

"Ya know, Bugs," Tina said "I'll bet if Lola thought she was getting so pushy you were looking for love elsewhere she'd rein it in a bit."

Bugs stared blankly.

"Eh, what d'you mean?"

"I mean you, me and the look on Daffy's face when he sees us going out on a date."

Bugs gawped as though his eyes were about to fly out of his face on springs.

"Dating! ? Us! ?" he blurted out. "Are you crazy! ?"

Bugs' face paled as he realised what he'd said.

"No, I mean- dating you would be great. Not that I'd want to. But I'd like to! But I haven't been thinking about it, I just mean…" the rabbit babbled, his silver tongue turned to jelly in his mouth. Tina sniggered.

"Relax Bugs, I don't dig you- no offence," she raised her hands in a calming gesture and sat back down. "I just need this as a favour from you. If Daffy thinks he's losing me to someone else he'll go nuts. Nothing sets him off like the idea of someone taking something that's his," she gave a sardonic grin. "And as far as he'd concerned, I definitely qualify as _his_."

"But, eh," Bugs stammered. "That seems a little extreme. If things are that bad you really need to talk this out with Daffy."

"And how can I do that if I can't get near him?" Tina shot back. "You're the one who'd said the harder I try the harder he'll run. This is the only thing that's gonna work. I need you to do this as a friend. Just a couple of dates and there's no way Daffy won't come back."

"But why me?"

"Cus' the idea's to make Daffy jealous, and there's no one he's more jealous of than you," Tina replied coolly. "Plus, it'd be doin' you a favour by getting Lola off your case."

Bugs frowned.

"I dunno, Tina. Lola's crazy, but I don't want to hurt her."

"Don't sweat it, Bugs. Sure, Lola will freak out but she'll get over it and beg you to stay with her, then you'll be the one deciding how fast the relationship moves. No more breaking into the house or stalking you round town. Think of what it would be like having a normal girlfriend."

Bugs clucked his buck teeth nervously, contemplating the tempting prospect, but also the many reasons why this was a bad idea.

"I hear couples therapy is expensive," Tina drawled, making Bugs freeze "_and_ it can take a loooong time."

Tina leaned forward with a clever smile as she watched Bugs thinking.

"So," she said "what'll it be?"


	2. Chapter 2

Daffy flicked through channel after channel with an idleness born only of a mind without a care in the world. Even the chunks ripped out of his blue recliner by Taz were ignored as he sagged impossibly deeper into the furniture. There was no need to worry about how to get up again- as long as he didn't need the bathroom he could stay there all night, and if he wanted a drink he'd just yell for Bugs to get it.

Except Bugs was being such a killjoy lately.

"Just gonna sit there all night, are you?" the rabbit asked disapprovingly.

"Well of courfe," he replied with an air of smug superiority that seemed to make his lisp more pronounced. "You thay that like it's a bad thing."

"It is when you could be out there having a night on the town with a great girl by your side."

"Well when she shows up, tell her to take a number," Daffy smirked, though inside he deflated. The last two days had been miserable for him. For one thing his situation with Tina was unresolved. Sure she'd stopped pestering him, and the panicky, claustrophobic feeling she'd been invoking in him had abated, but now it'd been replaced with a hollow, regretful feeling that kept him awake at night. His normal response to such problems were to ignore them till they passed, except Bugs wouldn't let it go. Usually when his flatmate criticised something (usually everything) Daffy did, he made one attempt to convince him otherwise then gave up and watched with a laid-back air as though he knew better and was waiting to see it all go wrong. But for some reason he'd changed tack this time, and since Thursday had been near constantly remarking on the matter.

Not that it was any of his business- Daffy switched to a new TV station with more force than necessary. If Bugs thought he could wear him down with a barrage of snide comments on something that had nothing to do with him, he was in for a major disappointment.

The duck barely registered the doorbell ringing, let alone thought of answering it. He did grunt in annoyance as Bugs walked between him and the TV (probably on purpose) on the way to the door. He noticed Bugs wearing a pale blue tie, but dismissed the observation. Like many Animals with fur or feathers, they favoured the naturalist lifestyle, but might wear something for some sort of occasion. Ol' Bugs'd probably got himself roped into another date with that crazy girl.

For all his disinterest and lethargy, however, it only took the words "Hi, Bugs," in a voice he'd recognise anywhere the moment the door was opened to send the duck from placid to manic in less than a second.

"WAOW!" Daffy exploded out of the chair. "Tina! Why are you hear! ? No, don't tell me! Thif is private property! You can't be here! I haf a restraining order! Bugs, lock the door! And eat the key!"

The rabbit and the duck looked on unimpressed from the door as Daffy cowered, ready to make a bolt for the yard.

"Cool it, nut job. I'm not here for you," Tina hissed, before turning to Bugs and saying "How about I wait outside while you get your stuff?"

"Sure. Won't be a second," Bugs smiled as Tina exited, then went over to the coffee table to get his wallet, shooting a critical look at Daffy.

"Lucky for Tina she's got good friends who'll stick by her when her boyfriend dumps her."

Daffy almost argued that he hadn't actually dumped Tina, but held back- it was still none of the rabbit's business.

"Tho thafs how it's going to be?" Daffy said affronted. "Everyone's going out and I'm not invited because Tina is going? Well fine- I don't need you or Tina or Porky or Lola or anyone else stupid enough to go on your lame night out. Everything I need is right here," he sat back in his chair and resumed channel surfing.

"None of them are coming, Daffy. It's just me and Tina so calm down. By the way, if Lola calls take a message will ya?"

Daffy grunted noncommittally. Bugs signed theatrically and left.

Just as the front door closed, Daffy paused and frowned. Something had broken his lack of concentration- something niggling at the back of his skull.

Something really, _really_ wrong with what Bugs had just said.

The duck went sprawling as he tried to get out of his recliner quickly, recovered his footing and lunged for the door.

"Wait a second!" he called into the dim street. Bugs and Tina froze in the act of getting into her car.

"What?" Bugs called back.

"Did you fay you're not meeting anyone else?"

"That's right,"

Daffy stared in confusion.

"Then who are you going out with?"

"What are you talking about? _We_ are going out," Tina pointed irritably between her and Bugs.

Again, Daffy stared, feeling bewildered.

"Oh," he said at last. "Well, have fun… I guess."

"Yeah, whatever," Tina said dismissively. Daffy didn't respond to the tone. In fact he didn't even move as the pair got into the car and drove away. About a minute after they'd gone, he gathered enough thought to close the door and trudge back to his chair. He stared blankly at the TV, still trying to comprehend what was going on.

"Bugs and Tina," he said slowly "are going out together."

Silence filled the house, broken only by the slapstick fight scene on TV. Daffy stared into space for an indeterminable amount of time as the fight progressed before his unseeing eyes. Suddenly he sat bolt upright in his chair.

"Bugs and Tina," he said loudly "are going out together… _alone_! What the heck! ?"

* * *

Even after they'd arrived at Speedy's and taken their seats in Bugs' booth, Tina was still grinning.

"Man, the look on his face," she laughed again. "I wish I'd taken a picture."

"I know," Bugs snickered in agreement. "I didn't think it would work this quickly."

"Glad it did. When we left the house, I thought he wasn't gonna bite."

When they had hatched their plan, Bugs had suggested that they progress slowly. He pointed out if they acted like they were in a relationship straight away Daffy would be suspicious. It would be far better to hang out together as friends and slowly build up the suggestion they were dating to allow true jealously to fester.

"I knew you'd be the best person to help with this. Seriously, thanks, Bugs. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Not at all. Glad to help. Even if this doesn't improve things with Lola, it'd be worth it to see you and Daffy happy."

Tina blinked, then smiled- not an amused or triumphant smile but a sincere one.

"Eh, thanks. That's really nice of you," Tina looked a little moved, and a little embarrassed, making Bugs feel embarrassed too. Fortunately, that's when Speedy shot up the table leg and skidded to a halt before them.

"Hola señor Bugs!" the mouse raised his yellow sombrero in greeting. "And señorita Tina! So good when you come here. Where's Daffy and Lola?"

"They're not gonna be here. It's just us two," replied Bugs.

The Mexican rodent looked between the two, before his whiskers began twitching questioningly.

"¡Ay, caramba! Are you guys on a date?"

Tina opened her mouth to explain.

"Yeah, things with Daffy and Lola came to an end, so we decided what the hey, let's give it a go."

Tina's head snapped round in surprise at Bugs' explanation. His only response was a sultry wink that, to her annoyance, made her flush beneath her feathers.

"Well congratulations to both of you! I mean sorry about Lola and Daffy, but I think you two make a great couple."

"Well we certainly think so," Bugs drawled. "So why you bring us the most expensive thing on the menu. This calls for a celebration."

"Sure thing! Coming right up," Speedy said, before zooming down the table leg and back to the kitchen

"Bugs, what the hell! ?" demanded Tina. "Why'd you tell him that? We're not really dating you know. And why are you splashing out on pricey stuff? We've only been out once and you're getting carried away."

"First," Bugs said confidently "if we're going to pretend we're dating then we need to make everyone we know think it as well or Daffy will find out from them and that'll be that. Second, Speedy won't charge anything- I gave him this place, remember?"

Tina glared as she mulled over the points, but soon gave in.

"Alright, very clever," she conceded. "'Spose we might as well keep everyone fooled till I get Daffy back," she grinned "and since you can get everything free, you won't mind if I order champagne."

"Sorry- no alcohol license here. But drink all the soda you like. Here's to you leaving me for Daffy," Bugs raised his glass mockingly, to which Tina just rolled her eyes. The conversation lulled for a moment. The silence was an unusual occurrence- the only times Bugs and Tina were together was with Lola and Daffy too, and one of them always had something to say. Bugs was surprised at how comfortable it felt as they sipped their sodas. It had been a long time since he'd been with a friend without feeling the need to be on alert for some absurd comment or outrageous suggestion.

"Sooo," Tina said eventually. "How long do you think it'll take for Daffy to give in?"

"Dah, I'd give him about a week to get his head round what's goin' on, then it'll only be a day or two till he gets on his high horse and demands you back. Sure you can stick it till then?"

"Hell, yeah," Tina said firmly. "I put up with a lot from that duck, and I'm gonna get him back no matter how long it takes."

Bugs paused as he looked at Tina contemplatively, seeing the determination and utter commitment in her eyes.

"Tina, d'you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

He took her silence and raised eyebrow as permission to continue.

"It's just that, ever since we met in the Sunset Room, on your first date with Daffy I've been wondering; I mean, what is it you see in him?"

Tina looked surprised, but to Bugs' relief not offended. She pondered the question for a moment.

"That's kind of a hard question," she admitted. "When he first asked me out, I really didn't think it'd be any more than one night out with some guy I barely knew. He had tickets to a five-star restaurant and no one to invite except the girl who calls him out every time he comes into Copy Place. I-" Tina shrugged in a sort of embarrassed way. "I guess I felt sorry for him. It was kinda like my good deed for the day, and I was getting a seven-course meal out of it."

"Right, I get that," Bugs chuckled. "But… you two are still together."

"Well, it was only when we were in the Sunset Room and he started reading that trash Lola gave him I realised he was serious."

Tina shifted. Bugs couldn't decide if the look she gave was uncomfortable or guilty; perhaps both.

"I mean, it was terrible. He was trying to charm me with a script, like some sort of joke. And I knew what sort of guy he was- I've never met a person so selfish and insecure, and when people are like that it's always a cover for low self-esteem. I hate that sort of thing. I told him so to his face. I was expecting a fight or at least that he'd expect me to sit there through the evening so he'd get his meal."

"So," Bugs asked cautiously "what happened?"

"He gave up," Tina said bluntly. "He decided that must be the end of it and tried to leave. Guess it annoyed me- him deciding I'd never give a duck like him a chance made me feel like the bad guy. Then I realised that even though he's so messed up he still asked me out- he was able to put his issues aside to try and date me. I 'spose it made me feel kinda special," this time Tina actually blushed, but covered it up with a grimace.

"The only thing special about me is my attitude. I never had a long-term boyfriend 'cus I scare them off. It's me who's the lucky one to be with Daffy."

"Hey, come on. Don't talk like that. You're selling yourself short," Bugs said gently. "Yeah, sure you gotta short fuse, but that don't stop you being good company, and you can always be relied on… even if it's only that we can rely on you to lose your temper."

Bugs expected an exasperated sigh for his joke, but instead Tina gave him a sad smile.

"Thanks, Bugs," she said. "It's nice to know at least someone sees a good side to me."

Bugs was taken aback by the wistful voice she used. He didn't think anything could phase someone as self-assured as Tina, but her distant look and soft tone spoke volumes, and for the first time he wondered if her relationship was actually making her happy. He silently cursed Daffy- how could he have let Tina start to feel inadequate as a girlfriend, compared to how he carried on?

"Well of course you've got a good side. You say that like you ain't got much good in you. Ever since Daffy met you he's become a better person. You've really turned his life around, even though he's being an idiot right now," Bugs said soothingly. He didn't mind that he'd embellished the truth- Daffy had been marginally less cynical and more optimistic since meeting Tina, and while Bugs doubted he'd change much more, Tina deserved the credit for improving his personality somewhat.

"Thanks. That's really nice to hear," Tina smiled a warm smile. Bugs wasn't sure why- maybe because her eyes were looking into his so deeply it felt like they were peering into his soul- but her expression made him tense up. Not in a bad way exactly. It was more like anticipation; of what, he wasn't sure, but he suddenly found he needed to concentrate to keep his breathing steady.

"Well, in the end that's why I kept seeing Daffy- I thought if I gave him a chance, maybe I could draw out the better part of him."

Tina looked at Bugs with searching eyes. Bugs swallowed, unsure of how to reply.

"Say, mind if I ask _you_ a personal question?"

'_Uh oh,'_ Bugs thought. He realised she was probably going to ask what he saw in Lola, and right now he didn't feel entirely comfortable answering that, and not just because he wasn't sure he had an answer better than because she was a very attractive young doe.

"Tell me, what kind of name is Bugs?"

Bugs gaped in surprise, and Tina snorted in amusement. The tense moment broke, and Bugs found himself chuckling with her.

"Sorry; couldn't resist," Tina laughed.

"Very funny," Bugs conceded "though in case you're interested, it was my mom's choice. When she was a kid her favourite movie was Bugsy Malone."

The revelation led to more laughter between the two, just as their meal arrived. As Bugs had ordered it was the most expensive thing on the menu- a large pasta carbonara meal for two. The duck and the rabbit looked at the dish for a moment.

"So," Bugs asked the waiter awkwardly "would now be a good time to change our order to pizza?"

* * *

The evening went well despite Speedy's complaint about food going to waste. Conversation had been light since Tina revealed her inner feelings on her relationship, and Bugs was feeling happy and relaxed as they drove back.

"So, you think he's called Lola about us yet?" Tina casually looked away from the road to Bugs as she drove.

"Not yet. Daffy will bury his head in the sand for a while. He won't start scheming like that for a few days."

"Just as long as you can handle her," Tina grinned as they pulled up in front of Bugs' house.

"You think Daffy might get suspicious that I'm always driving over here?"

"I put my car in the shop for a couple of days. That should be long enough for him to notice us dating. By the time my car's back, when I go out he'll know I'm going to see you."

"You've really thought of everything. I'm gonna make this all up to you, and not just the money for the shop."

"I told you, it's fine; that's what friends are for," Bugs waved off her thanks, though inside he glowed at the praise as he climbed out of the car.

"So, it's a phone call tomorrow, a text on Monday, then you'll be here on Tuesday. And," Bugs let his words hang for a moment to make sure Tina considered them "are you sure this next idea of yours isn't taking things too far? We don't wanna give Daffy an aneurism."

Tina looked Bugs square in the eye as he leaned through the open window.

"Trust me, Bugs. Taking things slow is one thing, but there's nothing like a short, sharp, shock. Tuesday night's gonna really make Daffy take notice."

Bugs sighed.

"Alright, I'll see you then," he took a step back and gave a casual wave as Tina pulled away, then headed for his house, and the inevitable following days of Daffy doing his best to make it clear to Bugs he hadn't even noticed he'd gone out.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been three days since Bugs and Tina's night out and things in the house had been… passive. Conversations between the rabbit and the duck had been short and very polite, and there had been no lost tempers and a minimal about of cynical criticism. Daffy was convinced in his own mind that everything was normal as he worked on his latest money-making scheme- compensation claims. Delayed buses, cold fast food, commercials that aggravated his photosensitivity (he wasn't photosensitive)- whatever he could think of, there was a complaint email about it demanding recompense. To an outside observer it might seem that Daffy had indeed taken no interest in his estranged girlfriend's night out with another guy.

But anyone who knew the duck would notice the abnormal amount of concentration and effort he put into his project, burying himself in work and shutting out the world around him.

"I'm going out tonight Daffy. Is that ok?" Bugs asked as he straightened his blazer, the beige colour matching his suit pants.

"Huh," Daffy grunted as he sat on the edge of his chair, making detailed notes of advertised products he could complain about. "About time. I can't remember theeing you leave thif houfe for over a week."

As far as Daffy was concerned this statement was completely true. Behind him, Bugs smirked and shook his head.

The doorbell rang. Daffy flinched but determinedly ignored it. There was no reason to think it was anyone for him, and he slammed down on the possibility that it might be _her_. There had no sign of her since Saturday nigh- NO! No sign of her for days, he insisted. He told himself Bugs hadn't gone out at the weekend, and he didn't know who it was Bugs had been on the phone to the other day. Daffy assured himself he had absolutely no idea of what was going on with _her_ as he continued to scribble notes.

"Hi Tina. Wow, you look great."

"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."

Daffy winced as her presence became known. The gentle teasing between her and Bugs, made almost smarmy by the accent, grated on Daffy's nerves. He glared fixedly at the TV and tried to ignore it.

"Hope I'm here in time."

"Dah, it's only 'bout half an hour to the Sunset Room."

The words tunnelled their way past Daffy's mental defences and struck deep into his mind. He couldn't ignore them anymore. His head snapped round and looked to the door.

There was Bugs, at his most disgustingly full of himself, looking with unashamed appreciation at _his_ girlfriend. And Tina- she hadn't even looked at him, having only eyes for the admiring rabbit. Her pleased smile at Bugs' approval made her features shine with a beauty that far outstripped what the light application of make-up had accomplished. Her hair had been tamed from its wildly carefree look into a smooth waterfall of silk that cascaded down to her shoulders.

And her dress…

Classy and expensive, gently hugging her figure. The best dress she owned. A red dress. _The_ red dress- the one she'd worn on her first date with Daffy to the Sunset Room. Where she and Bugs were going now.

There was a snap- the pencil in Daffy's grip had broken. He didn't notice. He saw red.

He _only_ saw red.

Bugs was just picking up his keys when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Bugs, could I speak to you for a moment?" Daffy asked haughtily.

"Eh, we kinda need to be going, Daffy," Bugs said distractedly. His eyes were still fixed on Tina.

This time Daffy didn't ask. He grabbed Bugs by the elbow and marched him- ignoring all protests on the way- into the kitchen.

"Daffy- what are you doing! ?" Bugs exclaimed as he stumbled into the countertop once Daffy let him go.

"I think you mean 'what are _you_ doing'?" Daffy shot back, hands on hips.

"Well, yeah. That's exactly what I said," Bugs quipped.

"That's not what I mean! Why are you going out with Tina again? Why are you taking her to the Sunset Room? And why is she dressed like-" he gesticulated wildly as though trying to swat a fly.

"Just calm down, Daffy," Bugs said in a soothing tone that to Daffy sounded suspiciously patronising. "You're getting yourself worked up over nothing."

"Over nothing! ? You're taking my girlfriend out on a date, and you think it's nothing! ?"

"Hey, who said anything about a date? Me and Tina are just chilling out."

"By going to the thwankiest place in town with Tina dressed like _that_? That's a date Bugs," Daffy drew himself up indignantly. "You ought to be ashamed of yourthelf, dating a girl who's spoken for, and behind your best friend's back!"

"Well first of all, it's not behind your back, is it? Secondly, it's not a date. Tina's just feelin' a little down, so I thought for this night out I'd take her somewhere fancy."

Daffy's beak locked for a moment, his anger temporarily forgotten as he registered Bugs' words. Tina sad? Because of him maybe? The thought made his heart clench, but he pushed the feelings aside. Now wasn't the time, and besides, it had made him think of something else.

"Don't you get it Bugs? Tina's just using you. She's dating you to make me jealous, and if I ask her to go out with me she'll drop you like a bag of laundry. You haven't had as much experience with woman as me so trust me on thif Bugs- women are devious. You should dump her before you get your heart broken."

Several emotions passed over the rabbit's face. Daffy's confidence blazed as he saw shock and worry, but it dimmed as Bugs settled on dismissive as his response.

"Oh is that so?" Bugs questioned. "Well why don't we put that to the test. Go out there right now and ask Tina to go to the Sunset Room on a date with you instead and see what happens."

"Aha, so it is a date!" Daffy exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger. Bugs sighed and shook his head, but Daffy didn't give him a chance.

"Nice try Bugs, but you can't hide anything from me. And just to show you I'm right about Tina using you, I'm gonna ask her out right now."

Daffy stomped away to the living room, while Bugs grinned smugly behind his back.

By now Tina had closed the front door and was leaning against it with her arms crossed, apparently fuming.

"Oh, you're ready now are you? Not that it's like I've got anything better to do than wait here."

Daffy ignored Tina as he stopped in front of her.

"Change of plan Tina. You're not going out with Bugs tonight."

Tina's face went blank, betraying no emotion, but she stood up straight and waited, her attention fixed on Daffy like she was hanging on his every word, and it made Daffy uncomfortable. He pressed on regardless.

"Tina, I would like-" Daffy broke off, suddenly feeling a little short of breath.

"Tina, I would like you… to…" his words trailed away as his body seemed to go hollow and compress on itself as Daffy's brain caught up with the rest of him, and he asked himself what was he doing.

Tina continued to wait, impatience growing. However, the scowl did nothing to dim the vision she presented- God she was beautiful. And kind and witty and passionate, and Daffy was struck by a sense of déjà vu.

He was living his worst nightmare.

This was the moment that haunted his dreams, figuratively and sometimes even literally- Tina standing before him, perfect in every way. And him standing before her, like an open book before her eyes, all his bluster and deception and self-denial useless. He'd ask her to be with him- to go out with him, to move in with him, to spend their lives together; anything!

And her answer would ring through his mind like the sound of the end of the world.

'_No'_.

The duck's hands began to shake, and he felt sweat beading beneath the feathers on his brow as Tina waited for him to speak. But what could he say? What could he offer someone as perfect as her? If he stayed with her, how long would it be before she gave up dealing with his failure as a boyfriend and a person and left him. He'd rather have cut off his own arm that cut Tina out of his life, but the only thing that would hurt more than pushing her away would be to hear her say she didn't want to be with him. He knew, down to his very bones, that if he asked her to take him back she would refuse, and that would be the finish of him.

"I would like you to not go out tonight. Just go home and write one of your angry emails or something."

If Tina could see his internal cringe behind the stern façade, she didn't show it. Her hands tightened into fists and she sucked in a hard breath, swelling with anger.

"What?" her voice was like ice, and dangerously calm. Daffy almost flinched at the word.

"I want you to not go out with Bugs and go home instead. I…" Daffy paused. He knew what he was about to say crossed a line, but he didn't know what else to do.

"You're being insensitive to me by going out with Bugs. As your boyfriend I deserve better than thif from you. And you know Bugs is dating Lola so you've stabbed her in the back as well. You should be ashamed of yourthelf. I don't know what's got into you, but if you want me to forgive you then you'll cut thif out and go home right now."

The whole atmosphere of the house froze. Tina glared speechlessly. Bugs stood on the edge of their conversation, mouth agape. Daffy could only wait in silence as his watched his girlfriend comprehend her own outrage at his judgement of her. He couldn't tell if he was hoping Tina would leave and end this hideous argument or that she'd punch his stupid flapping beak off his face and alleviate his guilt.

"How DARE you!" Tina shrieked. "After all the crud I've had to put up with from you, you think you got any right to tell me what to do! ? You think I need your permission! ? You think I need you to forgive me! ?"

Daffy shrank away as Tina stepped forward, hands trembling as though she wanted to slap him, eyes blazing with anger and hurt. Daffy's skin crawled at the sight, and he had to fight down the urge to be sick. This was getting way out of hand, and he considered if now would be a good time to apologise for the first time in his life, but Tina wasn't done.

"I've tried to give you whatever you need to make things work between us, but all you do is treat me like dirt. You think just because you want space you can brush me off and I'll just sit at home and have no social life until you're ready, and then I'll be there the moment you call? _You can't treat me like this!_"

Tina spun round and wrenched the door open, and with a bark of "Bugs! Car! Now!" Bugs shot out the door like he'd been touched with a cattle prod.

"I don't give a damn about your feelings Daffy- I know you don't about mine. So I'm going out with Bugs. You- you can go to hell. Just _go to hell_!"

With a glare of nothing less than pure hate, Tina stepped outside and slammed the door as hard as she could. A 'Home Sweet Home' sign next to the door fell off the wall.

Just like on Saturday, Daffy was left in limbo as Tina's car screeched away aggressively. But this time there was no confusion in the duck's mind. He paced woodenly back to his recliner and sat, hands shaking where they rested on his knees. Something filled his throat, threatening to explode out of him, but he swallowed it down.

'_This is for the best. It was always going to happen,'_ Daffy told himself, as always taking solace in the unquestionable certainty of his own opinion as tears welled in his eyes.

* * *

The drive was the most excruciating of Bugs' life. Tina drove like she wanted to spite the road by leaving skid marks across every inch of it, and Bugs was too afraid to break the silence to ask her to slow down. They didn't pass any police officers fortunately (or unfortunately as far as Bugs was concerned) and somehow they made it to the Sunset Room unscathed.

"Great! We're here" Tina exclaimed as she zoomed into a parking space and slammed on the brakes as hard as possible. Bugs shot forward, was caught by his belt, and was thrown back into his seat. He looked sideways at Tina with frozen features.

"Looking forward to dinner Bugs? This should be good, huh?" Tina beamed at the rabbit with the brightest smile he'd ever seen. Then she fell against the steering wheel and burst into tears.

Bugs remained glued to his seat, Tina's breakdown almost as terrifying as her driving. Bugs could only watch as sobs wracked her body. He gingerly raised one hand to offer some comfort, dithered as to where to lay it, and eventually returned it to his side as though nothing had happened.

When Tina sat back and looked at Bugs, the feathers beneath her eyes were blotchy with mascara and her hair was out of place, but she didn't care.

"What's wrong with me, Bugs?" she sniffled. "Why can't I get Daffy to care about me?"

She turned away and snivelled as she tried to wipe her face. Bugs winced at the sound of her grief. He deeply regretted ever getting involved in the matter, but knew he couldn't back out now when it was doing this to Tina. Bugs took a deep breath and forced himself to speak.

"He does care about you, Tina," he assured her gently. "He's just-" he struggled to find the right words. "He's a big a-hole."

An amused snort burst from Tina's lips. She dabbed her eyes gingerly, cursing when she looked at herself in the rear view mirror. Bugs looked for a tissue but couldn't find any, so quickly whipped off his tie and offered it to her.

"Sorry- best I can do," he gave her an awkward smile.

"Thank you," she smiled weakly back as she cleaned her face. "Seriously though Bugs, why am I doing this- putting myself through the wringer for a guy who treats me like garbage?"

"Because… you're a nice person, so you're prepared to put up with his attitude," Bugs said, though secretly he was starting to wonder if Daffy was worth the effort after what he'd said to her. He felt a flame of anger for his housemate as he looked at the miserable duck beside him.

"Just 'cus a person's nice, doesn't mean they're not stupid. If I saw a girl chasing after a guy who clearly didn't want her I'd tell her to take a hint and cut the stalking- oh God!" Tina groaned as she slapped a hand to her head. "I've turned into Lola!"

Now it was Bug's turn to let out a spurt of laughter. He cringed at his poor timing as Tina gave him a stony look.

"Sorry," Bugs said. "But trust me, you're not as bad as Lola."

Tina grunted and handed back Bug's tie as she stared despondently out the windshield. A moment of silence stretched out between the two, making Bugs squirm uncomfortably till Tina spoke again.

"Think I'm not as clingy as Lola?" she said without looking at him. "Try this then- that day I got Daffy to look after my nephew, he got real attached to him, and after he'd gone, Daffy said he wanted to have a baby with me. It was one of his crazy, off the cuff ideas and he forgot about it and thought of another before I could even tell him he was nuts. And I was going to- hell I was ready to slap him silly for that one."

Tina closed her eyes and sighed painfully.

"But when he first said it, just for a moment, before I could think sensibly… I wanted it too."

She glanced at Bugs, who was looking dumbfounded at her.

"But… Tina," he stuttered. "You and Daffy- you don't even live together. You haven't been together nearly long en-"

"I know, Bugs" Tina cut him off sharply. "I snapped out of it immediately. But just for a second- less than a second- I felt excited. It was like it was my time to start something serious with someone. I wanted that feeling I had when we were holding Zachery together, like we had a family; like we'd always be together."

She fell back into her seat again.

"Pathetic, huh?"

"No," Bugs said automatically. He studied Tina in profile silently. Her face was blank, but her eyes were full of regret and still damp underneath. Bugs felt a great empty feeling in his chest as he realised just how sorry he felt for her.

"It's just that you love him, that's all."

Tina looked at Bugs, considering his words, eventually managing a sad smile.

"Thanks for trying to help Bugs," she said sincerely "but I guess this was a stupid idea after all. It's just made things worse," the girl sighed again. "I'm sorry, but do you mind if we go home? I don't think I can face fancy food and waiters looking down at me for putting elbows on tables. I just wanna go and drown my sorrows in as much ice cream as I can get down my bill."

Bugs didn't answer; his throat felt a little tight for words at the moment. He'd rarely seen a person look as sad and resigned as Tina did, and that it _was_ Tina in such a state- Tina who'd scared Taz by shouting at him and put Daffy in hospital for comparing her 'monstrosity' of a beak to his cosmetic surgery…

Bugs shook himself mentally. This situation was ridiculous. Daffy had no right to do this to Tina, Bugs told himself. He hardened his resolve as he decided he wasn't just going to just leave it there.

The passenger door opened and Bugs stepped out, shutting it before Tina could question him. She watched as he walked round to her side and pulled open her door.

"If you don't wanna go in, at least let me drive. Move over to the other seat and clean yourself up. And we need to talk about things before we just give up."

Tina blinked, surprised at Bugs' forceful behaviour. Normally his was the paragon of 'laid back'-forceful was not a trait one associated with him. Getting angry was naturally the first response Tina considered, but she didn't have the heart for it right now, and he had a point about cleaning her face.

"Okaaay," she dragged the word out suspiciously as she scooted over to the other side. Bugs got in and quickly started the engine.

"So," Bugs drawled as he pulled out of the space "maybe it would help if you just talk about your relationship to someone. When did you first start having problems with Daffy?"

"Are you kidding me Bugs? My problems with Daffy started before we even _had_ a relationship! I mean the guy's just so full of it, that…"

With Tina successfully in full rant mode, and distracted as she looked in the mirror in the passenger sunshield, she didn't notice Bugs' cunning smirk, or that he turned the wrong way out of the parking lot.


	4. Chapter 4

"… I mean if anyone else talked to me like that I'd smack 'em so hard their parents would feel it. And then there's the parking ticket. I mean, how could he even think of trying to get me to pay half of it just cus' I was in the car while he was driving? But I know damn well he'd get me to pay the whole fine and say he'd owe me, then never pay me back. I mean where does he even get money from if he doesn't work? To be honest I'm not sure I wanna know…"

During the journey Tina had moved from sad, to angry, to her usual casually condescending. She had talked nonstop, as was her wont, and only a tiny proportion of what she'd said concerned her relationship problems. But she was feeling better. Her anger management therapist could say what he liked, but writing an angry email of everything she wanted to say without actually sending it was nothing compared to an honest to God tantrum. Of course, she needed someone to complain to. It might not have been entirely fair on Bugs, but he'd been the one to suggest she talk. She figured he could take a little more till they got home.

"… I tell you this though, I am never taking a ride in that parade float again. Man, what was I thinking? That thing is crazy. And it's the ugliest damn float I've ever seen. And I'm pretty sure he committed fraud to get it in the first place. You see he dragged me off to this-"

"We're here," Bugs announced jovially, long since used to tuning out the complaints of an irritable duck.

Tina stuttered to a pause. She was chagrined to realise she'd lost track of time as she'd ranted, and even more so when she only just noticed she didn't recognise the area. A kaleidoscope of neon lights stretched the whole length of the street they were parked on, people moving in every direction in pairs or small groups. The voice of the crowds that she'd written off as white noise was composed of talking, yelling and laughing, with several different musical beats thrown in from some street performers with steel drums and from several of the establishments that walled the street, most appearing to be bars or clubs.

"Err, newsflash Bugs- I don't live in the Mardi Gras."

"It's not the Mardi Gras," Bugs answered patiently. "They call this the nightlife district. It's kinda far from our side of town. We're actually near the coast here."

"Well I'm not a sailor either, so why are we here."

Bugs shut off the engine, and very deliberately put the keys in his pocket where Tina couldn't get them.

"Because it's about time you forgot about Daffy for a while. You and I are gonna have a night on the town."

Tina looked at the rabbit belatedly, then looked into the chaotic street ahead.

"Bugs," she said. "It's nice of you, but I'm not really in the mood for enjoying myself."

"Tina, this thing with Daffy has been going on for over a week now. Ya need to let it all go for a few hou-"

"Bugs," Tina cut him off. She tried to inject anger into her voice, but just sounded morose. She paused, struggling for the right words. It was a kind gesture, but the idea of trying to be happy whilst knowing all her problems were just hanging over her…

"No fight, eh?"

Tina's head snapped round so fast something cracked in her neck.

"What?" she asked coldly.

"Just saying," Bugs said nonchalantly "I 'spose it's a lot easier to just not try- takes less effort just to give up, right?"

The passenger door whipped open and shut again.

Tina was gone.

Bugs only had a matter of seconds to look around in confusion before his door was opened and he was yanked out of the car. The door slammed, and Bugs found himself shoved back against it by a furious looking Tina.

'_Whoops!'_

"No fight?" she growled an inch from Bugs face. The rabbit squirmed on the end of his tie as Tina held it in a death grip.

"So, you think I'm the sort of girl who gets riled up because of a bit of reverse psychology?" Tina's scowl was apocalyptic, and Bugs cringed under her glare.

"Well you're damn right I am! You wanna see some fight? Fine, you're gonna see it."

With that, the duck dragged Bugs, spluttering and stumbling all the way, into the nearest bar.

Despite being throttled, Bugs was able to take in the establishment as he was hauled through it. A fairly average place, not rowdy but definitely one where their fancy attire would cause a stir. If Tina had thought of this, or noticed that the smattering of wolf whistles and laughter was directed at the pair of them, she paid it no mind. She marched up to the bar itself and climbed onto a stool, hoisting the rabbit up until he'd scrabbled his way onto another one, and then finally she released him and barked an order at the shocked server.

Soon there were four shot glasses on the smooth surface in front of them. Tina snatched one up and tossed the clear fluid down her beak.

"Your turn," she fired at Bugs, who quickly picked up a glass and, with a look of disdain, drank half his shot till he choked and hacked and clutched at his burning throat.

"So, pleased to be here?" Tina said in a snarky voice. Bugs coughed a few times before he composed himself enough to answer.

"If it cheers you up watchin' me choke on these things, then yeah."

That took the wind out of her sails. The anger trickled away, leaving Tina feeling empty. She looked at Bugs, still grimacing from the drink, and felt bad for her outburst.

"You don't need to poison yourself for my sakes Bugs," the girl turned her gaze to her empty glass. "The way I feel now I doubt even you could cheer me up."

"Who's using reverse psychology now?" Bugs quipped. Tina looked back, and Bugs took the opportunity to gulp the rest of his shot, his exaggerated retching finally drawing a small smile from the duck.

"_There… that's… more like…it_," Bugs wheezed, and Tina even managed a small laughing noise.

"You're really set on turning my evening around, aren't you?" she asked. She made it sound as though she wasn't taking him seriously, but deep down she was touched by how much Bugs cared. Now she was glad she hadn't ended her evening so hastily.

'_Beats a pity party on my lonesome.'_

"Alright, so what am I 'sposed to do that gonna make me feel great about myself?"

"Well," Bugs pondered the question. Then he grinned at Tina and said in a playful tone "Anything you like."

Tina scoffed. She opened her mouth to comment on Bugs' flimsy answer, when something coiled round her back and gripped her firmly by the waist.

"Hey there, hot stuff," slurred a large bulldog, balancing a drink in the hand not clutching Tina. "You're looking real pretty in that dress. Why don't you join me and my pals? We can give a girl like you a real good time."

Bugs cringed, not so much from the cocky sneer the dog threw his way but from anticipation of how Tina would react.

Tina, however, only looked at the guy blandly. She didn't even try to shrug off the intrusive paw. Then she smiled thinly. The dog looked back in dazed confusion before smiling as well, not noticing the frostiness in his inebriated state.

"Oh I don't know," the duck said sweetly as she picked up her second shot. "I reckon we could have a real good time right here."

The bulldog chuckled and started to mention something about long eared creeps watching them.

Tina's arm shot upwards, and tossed the contents of her shot glass into the dog's eyes.

The "ARRRRGH! !" was the last thing the dog said to them as he recoiled, clutching his face.

"That's probably the smartest thing you've said all night," Tina sniggered. She turned back to a shocked Bugs.

"You're right Bugs! I'm feeling better already," the duck laughed. She hopped off her stool and grabbed Bugs by his tie again.

"This place is getting stale. Let's go- I'm sure this smooth operator will get our bill," she nudged the staggering figure in the direction of the bar and their glasses.

"Where are we going?" Bugs squawked through his garrotted throat.

"To do anything we like," Tina said coyly as she headed to the door.

Before going back to finish Bugs' second shot.

* * *

_9:30 pm_

"STTTTTTRIKE! !" Tina's holler reverberated through the bowling alley.

"Half strike," Bugs pointed out casually.

"Huh, like you could do any better."

Bugs smiled with one corner of his mouth. He took his shot- a perfect strike!

Tina gaped. Then smiled fiercely back at the rabbit.

"Oh, now it's on!"

* * *

_10:05 pm_

"Ya know, when someone wins a meal out of some sucker in a bet, they usually get the sucker to pay for something more extravagant," Bugs eyed his tofu burger thoughtfully.

"So what- this peasant food isn't classy enough for rich, suburban guys like you," Tina shot at him playfully, before taking a bite of her double cheeseburger and mouthing around it "Don't know what you're missing."

"I got nothing against the taste of a good burger," as if to demonstrate the point, Bugs dug into his burger with equal gusto.

"I heard," Tina's muffled voice added "that burger joints get an extra taste infusion in them by never cleaning their grills."

Bugs swallowed thickly and gagged.

* * *

_10:25 pm_

"Nice shootin' partner!" cried the girl in the cowboy hat running the fairground style air rifle range. "Third prize- enjoy!"

Bugs laid down the air gun and accepted the prize.

"Can't pass a game stall without winning a price for the girl," he handed the briefcase sized fluffy chicken to Tina. Something inside made an artificial clucking noise as she gripped it.

"A giant chicken?" she asked incredulously. "I must be the luckiest girl in the world."

* * *

_11:00 pm_

"Damn it! That's the first time I've ever been thrown out of the movies," Tina huffed. Then she smirked.

"Was kinda fun, wasn't it?"

"Not really," Bugs answered, though he didn't seem very troubled "and you kinda asked for it. It wasn't a comedy you know."

"Hey, you're the one who chose it."

"Well you wanted action, I wanted drama. A World War II epic seemed like a good compromise."

"Yeah, if the script had been written by someone more qualified than a Harlequin writer."

Before Bugs could answer, Tina pressed her shoulder against his, looked into his eyes with exaggerated intensity, and quoted from the movie in the most over the top French accent she could muster.

"My country needs me," she proclaimed "but my love for France pales in comparison to what I feel for you, ma chérie."

The pair gazed solemnly at each for a second, before Tina's beak rasped with escaping laughter. Bugs frowned at the duck, ready to reprimand her again.

And next thing they were both doubled up on the sidewalk laughing uncontrollably.

* * *

Tina's car trundled down the ghostly silent street- she lived closer to the centre of town than Bugs, but still far enough away that things were quite at this time of night.

"You didn't have to drive for me," the girl complained again, chewing on a popsicle. "I'm not drunk."

"Maybe not," Bugs answered "but you've still had too much to drive with. Lucky someone was thinking about how we get home."

Tina looked away, mumbling that she hadn't had that much, though the tequila might have been going too far. She could have sulked about it, but decided the evening had been too good to bear a grudge- a rare decision for her.

The car rolled into the parking lot of Tina's apartment block soon enough. The pair left the car and went up the outside stairs leading to the first floor.

"That- was a great evening," Tina said, idly tossing away her popsicle stick.

"Yeah," Bugs agreed. "Kinda tiring though."

"What, can't keep up with the crowd old man?" Tina grinned wickedly, then suddenly tossed her door keys high over Bugs' head. The rabbit started, and had to hop forward awkwardly to catch the keys in mid-air, much to Tina's amusement.

"Yeah, yeah; very funny," Bugs, only half annoyed, lowered his hands that had clapped together around the keys. Tina quickly stepped forward with a playful smirk, and Bugs ended up settling his hands around the back of the duck's neck.

"Whoa!" he recoiled in shock. "S-sorry Tina."

Tina laughed as she mimicked the action before Bugs could step away, capturing his neck with both hands and pulling him with her till she was leaning back against her door. Bugs, held at arm's length from her, could only stutter and avoid her eye. Tina chuckled gently at his abashment.

"You're too good to me," Tina whispered with a sincerity that forced Bugs to look at her. An instinct rose up in Tina to give the rabbit a sultry smile, but she found herself giving him a gentler one instead. For as long as she could remember Tina had lived as though she had to fight her way through life, always getting one up on everyone around her. But right now she didn't feel that need. She felt relaxed- content. She didn't feel any urge to use her dominant personality to unseat the composure of the guy in front of her, though from the way Bugs struggled to find his voice, it seemed she'd achieved that without trying.

"Well… like I said, that's what friends are for," Bugs laughed casually, even as his face began to heat beneath his fur.

"No- it's more than that," she replied softly, eyes fixed on him. She found she enjoyed watching Bugs be flustered and unsure. Not out of any sort of pleasure at his expense, though it was amusing in an endearing sort of way.

'_No mask,'_ Tina thought. Rather like her ironically, Bugs was the sort of person who got through life by putting up a front with which to control any given situation, in his case a persona of smart-aleck smarmy wit. Having lost his cool due to her proximity, his mask had fallen away. Tina realised she was looking at the real Bugs- a Bugs who wasn't focussed on coming up with clever answers to every comment- nothing but his true self, raw and honest.

'_And special,' _Tina couldn't help but think. _'How often do people really let others under their skin?'_

From there Tina could do nothing but watch, wanting to hold onto the moment they were in- the heady mixture of the high of the evening, the comfort of companionship, and the rich warmth of raw intimacy, all personified in the face of a handsome and attentive buck, stuttering and blushing mere inches from her face. His eyes shone as though awed by her, and just the understanding that she had such an effect on him made her own eyes sparkle, and her heart speed, and her beak part like a breathless invitation. Even the words he said were discarded in favour of just taking in the familiarity of his voice.

"Hmm?" she queried vaguely, pulling her head closer as though to hear better, though a part of her knew that wasn't why she did it. They were so close, just an inch away from the final spark that would ignite this moment.

"I said I hope I don't end up getting home too late, or I'll probably get locked out by Daffy."

_Daffy._

Tina froze. The magic broke as she heard that name, revealing the smoke and mirrors behind the glamour. Her smile dropped and her eyes widened. Suddenly she realised just how near Bugs was.

'_What the hell! ?'_

She pulled her hands from him quickly, uncomfortable and embarrassed.

"Y-you should be fine. There's a bus station two blocks down," Tina's voice shuddered as she forced a bland tone into her words. Bugs stepped back, but the relief at the breathing space was little comfort with the bewildered look on the rabbit's face. He opened his mouth, but Tina didn't want to answer whatever questions he had.

"You know what, take my car," she cut him off. "Seriously, it's fine. I'll get it from you tomorrow. Really, take it… _now_."

Tina snatched her door keys. The touch of Bugs' hand made her flinch. She fumbled with the lock- heard Bugs start to speak- felt his hand reach for her.

The duck practically leapt through the door.

"I really gotta get to bed- work tomorrow," she shielded herself with the door, her humiliation stifling. "Thanks for the evening Bugs. Night."

The door slammed. The sound of the lock placed a firm full stop at the end of any conversation.

Tina withdrew to the far side of the room and fell into an armchair. She didn't turn on the light because Bugs would see, and she didn't want there to be anything to draw his attention. She cursed her cowardice but couldn't pull herself free of the daunting shadow that had fallen over her.

'_Please, Bugs,'_ she seethed. _'Just GO!'_

The next few minutes were like hours. There was no sound from outside- Tina could practically _feel_ Bugs standing there, debating ringing the doorbell and questioning her abrupt departure.

'_I don't want to talk right now. I… I don't know what's wrong. I just want to be alone. Just go home already!'_ her fingers tightened around the arms of the chair. What if he wanted to speak? Should she ignore him, or go back out there. Just the idea of facing him again made her feel like her chest was caught in a vice. She prayed it wouldn't come to that.

Finally, the sound of a car engine reached Tina's ears, and to her relief- and in part, regret- Bugs left.


	5. Chapter 5

Tina slammed the pad of photocopy paper on the desk hard. Her bad attitude was reflected in her every act, her eyes made even more grim by the heavy bags beneath them, and the only thing that stopped the manager sending her home was the angry tension that gripped every muscle in her body.

In truth Tina wasn't really angry. Anger was just her stand by solution to all her problems. She'd tossed and turned all night, failing to find escape in the realm of sleep. She'd called in sick first thing, but grew restless just sitting at home dwelling on her thoughts and had gone to work anyway, only to become irritable with even the slightest of things.

'_What the hell happened last night?'_ the question itched in her brain. Last night was supposed to be about making Daffy jealous- where had that gone? _When_ had that gone? After the words she'd exchanged with Daffy she wasn't even sure they were in a relationship anymore. The evening she'd spent with Bugs had been nothing about the plan. She could have just dismissed it as an impromptu drown-ya-sorrows celebrate-being-single-again night out.

Except for the finale in front of her apartment.

That moment had plagued her all night, stirring her from the slightest moment of sleep. Now it was appearing before her waking eyes- Bugs tantalisingly close, his features as open to her as hers were to him. Open in a way that people weren't normally with each other- vulnerable and intimate.

A way friends weren't normally with each other.

So why had they been doing that! ? Why had Bugs let that happen! ? What had he been doing! ?

Tina looked up and happened to catch her reflection in a mirrored surface. Her own face looked back, scowling in accusation.

'_Bugs didn't do anything,'_ a spiteful voice told her. _'He wasn't the one hanging off his friend's neck. He wasn't the one getting drippy and giving the eye. That was _YOU_.'_

The duck turned her back on herself, but she couldn't deny the truth. If anything it was Bugs who had snapped her back to her senses, and just in time. If he hadn't had spoken up while she'd been holding him close against her door then God knows what she'd have done. What had gotten into her? Getting clingy with Bugs- _flirting_ with him! She wanted to blame it on mixing her drinks, as Bugs had pointed out, but she knew that was a lie. She knew herself well enough to know she'd been in her right mind when she'd tried to-

'_Don't even think it!'_ she cut that train of thought off. _'Jeez, what am I gonna do? What must Bugs think of me?'_

As if sensing her question, Tina's phone rang. She looked at the name of the caller.

'Bugs'.

The girl's legs almost buckled. She glared desperately at the phone as though she could will it to change to a call from someone else. She ran through her options- the thought of speaking to him now made her cringe. She could ignore it, but he might leave a message, then it'd be up to her to call him- to initiate the inevitable conversation- which felt even worse. Reluctantly, Tina decided it was better to take the call. She quickly darted into the stock room for privacy.

"What?" Tina answered the phone coldly- harsh, but it was better than revealing how confused she felt.

"_Er- hi Tina. Just wanted to see how you were doin'. Hope you had a good time last night."_

"Yeah, great."

An awkward pause followed Tina's flat response. The silence went on for so long that Tina almost on reflex demanded Bugs to get on with it, but she held her tongue- she hadn't wanted this conversation; it was Bug's turn to speak, he could fill the silence.

Tina shook herself- when had this call turned into some sort of contest?

" '_Kay,"_ Bugs said eventually. _"Well, I was thinking, how about we meet for lunch? I'd like to talk some more, and- y'know- for now maybe we should still keep up appearances for Daffy."_

Tina clamped her jaw shut. She felt like banging her phone against the wall and asking the rabbit how he could expect her to think about fooling Daffy into coming back to her when she was so head rattled by the evening they'd spent together. But she could hardly tell him that. Instead she said "Ah, thanks, but I'm not hungry- I was just gonna get some coffee."

"_Coffee's fine for me."_

"I _mean_ it's kinda busy today so I'm skipping lunch," Tina insisted, deciding that she didn't want to discuss this now after all, and not caring if Bugs noticed how unbusy her line sounded. "I'll get back to you; we'll talk some other time."

"_Well I could come by after work-"_

Tina ripped the phone from her ear, glaring at the wall. Why couldn't he take a hint? She'd said she'd talk another time, even though she was just stalling. Why was he being so damn impatient?

A dark thought occurred to her- perhaps he had something to tell her. After her behaviour last night perhaps he'd drawn some conclusions and was now in a hurry to act on them. Maybe he wanted to somehow repeat what happened at her flat without the interruption of Daffy's name to see where things had been about to go before she'd come to her senses. The thought made Tina blanch. She slapped the phone back to her ear.

"_Tina, you there?"_

"Yes, I'm here," Tina gathered all her courage to turn her near panic into borderline fury "and I'm telling you today's not a good day. When I've got time to talk I'll let you know. Until then just wait, _okay_?"

Another uncomfortable silence followed.

"_Okay,"_ Bugs said hesitantly. _"Whatever makes you happy. So, you'll get the bus home this evening?"_

Tina's anger evaporated.

"What?"

"_Your car- I've still got it. Anytime you want me to bring it back, or, you can come and get it?"_

Tina lowered the phone again and scowled, glad Bugs wasn't there to see her go bright red. Of course he was calling to arrange the return of her car.

"_Tina?"_ Bugs' voice asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Tina spoke into the phone again with forced casualness. "Actually, I think I can get away for lunch for a little while. I meet you in Central Avenue at one,"

She added as a feeble apology "I'll bring coffee."

"_Oh cool. Well I'll see you there. And… I'll let you-know-who know who I'm meeting, just in case."_

" 'Kay, thanks," Tina said and ended the call. "At least Lord Voldermort'll know what I'm up to."

The duck paced the small room angrily. She'd wanted to just sulk and brood on the situation until it went away, but now she would have to confront it head on through her lunch date with Bugs.

She fumed at the rabbit. This thing was so beyond her control it was ridiculous, and Bugs sure as hell wasn't in control, so why'd he have to give her this smug pretence that he wasn't at all bothered by it? It would have been easier to deal with it if he'd at least shared her trepidation, but his signature laid back attitude just ticked her off even more. Why was he so casual about this?

Her own thoughts had the duck stopping mid step.

Bugs was taking _all_ of this very casually. Running her thoughts over last night, she couldn't recall Bugs looking anything more than mildly embarrassed by her flirtatious behaviour, and when she'd recoiled from him he just seemed confused. Maybe he had been just that- confused by her uncharacteristic actions last night. Maybe he'd just shrugged it off and hadn't spent all night deliberating over it like she had. Maybe he genuinely wasn't concerned and really thought everything was cool between them.

Just considering these possibilities made Tina feel a little calmer than she'd been since entering her apartment last night.

'_Idiot!'_ she slapped herself in the forehead. _'Is that really why I feel so hacked off- because I've been worked up on this all night and Bugs hasn't? Daffy's 'sposed to be the one feeling jealous, not me!'_

Now Tina was even wondering if she had anything to be worked up about. Yes she'd made a fool of herself, but that was all. She'd had an ugly fight with her boyfriend, had a roller-coaster of a time to take her mind off it, and- despite her denial- probably had more to drink than she should have. Maybe in the midst of it all she'd lost perspective and just needed some time to get her head on straight. Bugs certainly seemed to think so- he was probably even now trying to figure out why she was so uptight today.

"Enough," Tina said out loud. She left the stock room, returned to the reflective surface she'd seen earlier and looked herself in the eye.

"Just get a grip already," she ordered her belligerent reflection. "This ain't the first time you made an ass of yourself. Just laugh it off and carry on before you make things weird between you two."

Tina took several calming breaths. She was going to get through this situation. If Bugs had decided to think nothing of her behaviour then she wasn't going to do anything to stop him.

The girl turned back to the counter, only to see a man waiting there, his expression puzzled after witnessing her conversation with herself.

"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT! ?" Tina roared. The man jumped a foot in the air and ran out of the shop. A few seconds later Tina's boss appeared at the door of his office, looking around for an explanation.

Tina sighed. Lunch couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

Central Avenue was the name for the large plaza in the middle of town. Bugs met Tina on a bench on the edge of one of the grassy areas. Conversation had been slow- everything Tina said had been short and to the point. Bugs sipped his rich coffee as he searched for an icebreaker.

"Nice coffee. If I knew it was gonna be this good I'd have brought donuts."

"Sure, you're welcome."

Not the best start.

"Your car's down that street. It's on a meter, so you'll need to move it before you go back to work."

"Thanks. I'll pay you back for it."

Bugs started to protest but stopped- he wasn't going to get bogged down in small talk. He was determined to discuss the elephant in the room.

"Well, that was a great time we had last night. But, I guess I should apologise. I mean I left without even sayin' goodbye. Dunno why I did that."

As he predicted, a spark of Tina's normal irritability flared and she opened her beak to rebuke his deliberately distorted version of events. But then she stopped, looking away uncomfortably. Bugs grumbled to himself and tried again.

"Actually, I wanted to say something about last night," Bugs said. Not that he intended to ask her about it outright, but he made sure his tone was implicative enough that the duck tensed at the sound.

"It's just that, as we were talking, I thought-"

"Bugs," Tina caved in. "I'm sorry how I acted last night. Everything that's been happening lately- it all got on top of me. I didn't mean to… to, er…" she trailed off, visibly cringing.

"Hey, it's okay," Bugs said soothingly. "I don't want things with us to get… well, difficult. I mean, what happened last night, don't worry- I don't mind."

" 'kay, thanks," Tina's response came quickly, seizing the lifeline of an easy resolution to the conversation. She looked at Bugs sideways on expectantly, and when Bugs felt compelled to nod reassuringly she sighed in relief.

"Thanks, Bugs," she said gratefully. "I promise I won't mess around again. This'll be water under the bridge from now on."

Tina seemed so much happier that Bugs could do nothing but nod again, even though he really wanted to frown. That wasn't what he meant when he said he didn't mind the way she behaved last night.

'I enjoyed it.'

The words were on the tip of his tongue. He'd felt as confused as he'd looked at the time, but even so he'd enjoyed seeing Tina with such an absence of inhibition. That moment, where the world seemed to consist only of them, staring into eyes only centimetres from his own filled with…

Passion_… desire?_

It was the most intense thing he'd ever experienced in his life. So intense that Bugs almost opened his mouth to tell her so right now, but uncertainty stopped him- uncertainty of his own feelings. He wasn't sure how he felt about the way Tina had behaved, or even how it made him feel about her. That made him feel shallow and petty, because nonetheless he'd still enjoyed her attention last night. He forced the words down, and reminded himself Tina was a friend and his only thoughts should be on her troubled relationship with Daffy. Speaking of which-

"… was a good night an' all," Bugs hadn't noticed when Tina started speaking again "but I think it just made things worse. Me and Daffy have never argued that bad."

"Well," the rabbit searched for an answer. "There's still time. No place to go but up, right?"

Tina looked at him unconvinced.

"Not when things are so bad that me and Daffy aren't even a _thing_ anymore," she glumly stared straight ahead with unseeing eyes. "I think it's over Bugs. Daffy's not coming back."

"That's putting it a bit strong, don't you think?"

Tina shook her head.

"It's true, and this game we're playing isn't working. It's time to call quits on everything."

"No!"

The duck looked sharply at Bugs, brow furrowed and eyes wide at his outburst. Bugs quickly reined himself in.

"You can't look at things that way, Tina. Things always get worse before they get better," it was a lame suggestion. Tina looked neither convinced by Bugs' claim nor his sudden change from panicked to passive in a single second.

"Yeah, alright- things didn't go so well with Daffy last night, but at least he's taking notice," the rabbit pushed on. "This is gonna take time. We've only been trying this for about five days. You're not really ready to just give up, are you?"

Tina eyed Bugs with a questioning look. He kept his face completely blank, hoping he'd bluffed his way out his overreaction. Only when Tina looked away, pondering Bugs' words, did the tension finally drop from his shoulders.

But there was more to it than just embarrassment.

When Tina had suggested they stop their plan, Bugs had surprised even himself with his response. He couldn't explain why it suddenly mattered so much to him- this was more than just sorting out his two friend's failing relationship. What happened between him and Tina last night- his curiosity over it was intoxicating. Just the thought of once again sharing that moment, that connection with Tina- to feel that aura of uniquely feminine admiration coming from her that made him feel eager and excited and terrified all at once. Bugs could only liken it to leaping out of a plane or bungee jumping- to willing place yourself in a position so infinitely dangerous and overwhelming, only to come out the other side feeling as though you'd conquered the world. _That's_ what it had felt like looking into Tina's fathomlessly deep eyes in the intimate privacy of the dead of night.

And like any extreme experience, the high was addictive. He'd had a taste, and he wanted more of it- of _her_.

"What are those jokers up to?" Tina's idle comment tore Bugs from his thoughts with a jump.

"Wha-?" he looked to a group of protesters picketing outside the library. He squinted to see what was on their placards.

"'Legalise cross species relationships'," Bugs quoted, noting now that the group seemed to be composed of couples of different Animals, and in a few cases even a human and Animal pairing.

"Is it even illegal?" asked Tina.

"No, but I don't think churches will do marriages," Bugs informed her automatically. He then realised, with annoyance, that the subject had been changed, possibly on purpose by Tina to avoid discussing the issue of their faux dating. He tried to turn attention from the protestors.

"Well, good luck to them," he said as dismissively as possible, then went to press his last question.

"Yeah, good cause I say," Tina replied before Bugs could speak. "I ain't got nothing against it. Hell, I was dating a coyote when I was in high school."

"You were?" Bugs said with sudden interest.

"Yeah, no need to sound so surprised," Tina scolded lightly. "It didn't go anywhere, obviously, but even back then people thought we were weird. People should just mind their own business when it comes to someone else's life choices."

"But wasn't it, eh, a problem? With you being a duck, and-"

Tina looked irritably at Bugs.

"You got something wrong with mixed species couples?"

"No, not at all! I just meant wasn't it… difficult with," he used a finger to make a circular motion around his mouth, then pointed gingerly at Tina. The duck looked at him in confusion.

Then it dawned on her. She looked at Bugs with a combination of annoyance and amusement.

"You mean could I kiss my boyfriend with this enormous beak sticking out of my face?"

Bugs' embarrassed wince was as good as a confession. Tina snorted.

"Sorry," the rabbit said. "I just thought it must be difficult if you… you know… with someone who isn't a duck."

"It's not much easier with someone who is a duck," Tina scoffed. "If I can get in a crowded elevator without this thing getting stuck in the doors, it's a good day. Ducks have this thing we often do to kiss- we start cheek to cheek and sorta slide our beaks against each other's till they line head on," Tina's face coloured bashfully. "It's… kinda cute."

Bugs looked fixedly at the girl's beak as he contemplated what she'd explained- the uniqueness of such an endearment struck him in a way he found hard to describe.

"I would have thought you'd have the same problem," she added. "With teeth like that I don't see how you and Lola can even get close enough to kiss."

"Dah, rabbits can, but it's difficult," Bugs admitted. He couldn't help feel a little irritated at the mention of Lola- he was enjoying this conversation with Tina and he wanted to concentrate on her, not his certifiable girlfriend.

"We don't always kiss though. Sometimes rabbits just rub their noses together- it means the same thing. Sort of like Eskimos," Bugs grinned, expecting Tina to laugh.

Tina didn't laugh. She looked thoughtfully at Bugs.

"That's cute as well," the duck smiled gently. She looked back to the group of protestors, lost in thought.

Bugs watched the girl silently, filled with thoughts of his own. He was acutely aware of how their conversation might sound to an outsider- discussing cross species couples and how they shared kisses. It made him think about their date last night, and how things might have gone if they'd chosen to go out of their own accord rather than as part of a plot to turn Daffy green with jealously.

'_He's lucky to have Tina. Any man would be lucky to have Tina,'_ the rabbit thought, and that thought didn't make him feel shocked or uncomfortable in the slightest. In fact, he started unashamedly thinking about the things that made Tina such a great catch- her quick wit, her unflappably calm attitude, counter balanced with that passionate if volatile spirit of hers. And even for a member of another species, Bugs could see how good-looking Tina was.

'_I'd be lucky to have her too.'_

"It's nice, isn't it," commented the duck without looking at Bugs. "Those people, doing all that- fighting for someone they love." she watched the crowd solemnly. She looked so focussed that Bugs didn't bother replying. He just waited, watching as her face betrayed only the slightest hint of what was going through her mind as thoughtfulness gave way to determination, her jaw firming with the air of one set on their decision. Finally, the duck turned to look at him.

"Bugs," Tina said "I want to give this plan another shot."

Now it was Bugs' turn to stare wordlessly as his mind took a moment to comprehend the ramifications of what she'd said.

'_The plan? You mean making Daffy jealous? That means another date. Maybe like last night?'_

'…'

'_Holy moly! She actually wants another date!'_

"WowgreatsureTina!" he blurted out, making Tina do a double take. Bugs cleared his throat and tried again.

"I mean good, that's good. I think it's a good idea. This plan is definitely worth another chance."

"Riiight," Tina drawled, unconvinced with his attempt to cover his exclamation. Bugs fought to keep his expression casual as she eyeballed him, before she shrugged it off and stood up.

"Okay, thanks for coming Bugs. I really gotta move my car and get back to work. I'll call later and we'll discuss what we're going to do."

"Sure. Till later. And thanks for the coffee," said Bugs. Tina waved and left.

Bugs remained on the bench, leaning back with a silly grin plastered to his face. Another date- his heart raced just at the thought of it. He was no closer to understanding the odd chemistry that was brewing between him and Tina, but he no longer cared. This thing between them was good, and he wanted to enjoy the flavour of it while it lasted. He supposed he should feel bad for his less that honourable motive, but it was hard to frown on something he was so looking forward to, and he surely wasn't the first guy (or girl for that matter) who'd dated someone they had no future with just for a little shameless ego stroking.

'_I'm still helping her deal with her problems. If we have a good time while doing it, so much the better.'_

Assured of his reasoning, Bugs got up and started off home with a spring in his step as he began planning their next date. No more uncertainty or awkwardness. This dating was just a bit of fun, and he was going to enjoy it, and everything that came with it.


End file.
